The Power of Friendship
by ThornWolf the Loyal
Summary: The long awaited sequel to 'Fire and Water.' Gran shares her story of the time she was in Mahou. Lousy summary, good story...hopefully...Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1: Gran's Tale

**Hey all! I know that this has taken a while, but I've finally started it!! Isn't it great? Anywho, progress on this one might be kinda slow since a lot of things are happening right now. (Real life sucks…) Hopefully you'll be patient with me. So, without anymore adieu, I present to you ****The Power of Friendship!**

Chapter 1: Gran's Tale

"…And that's when you came in," Emily said, finishing the tale. She, Adriane, and Kara were seated in a semicircle around Grandmother Charday.

The old woman looked at each of them in turn. "You've had an exciting time, haven't you?"

Kara nodded vigorously.

"Okay, Gran. We told you our story, now it's your turn. How do you know about Mahou?" Adriane asked.

"Oh, that is a long story. I would imagine at least as long as yours. Do you want a shortened version or the full tale?"

"We want to know all of it!" Kara said excitedly.

"Well then," Gran laughed, "I shall tell it! You must forgive me if I forget anything. This old mind isn't what it used to be. Let's see. It all began when I was about your age. I was out in the forest with my friend, Jack. We were complete opposites. It may surprise you, but I was a lot like you, Adriane, back then. Strong spirited and outspoken, and I pretty much would race straight into trouble without thinking first if it meant I could help someone. Jack, he was quiet, reserved, and patient.

"Anyway, we were out exploring the forest together, me, as usual, charging ahead with Jack in tow. I had found a meadow that was surrounded by trees. It was like a little haven hidden from everyone else except for us.

"While we were on our way to it, I had the feeling that we were being watched, but wherever I looked, I couldn't see anything, and I couldn't hear anything that would suggest that we were being followed. When I asked jack, he said it was just common paranoia, but it still didn't seem right to me.

"Well, we got to the field with out incidence. While we were exploring it thoroughly, I saw something moving between the trees. As I started towards it, it threw something into the meadow and disappeared. I ran to where the object landed and started searching for it. What I found was this," Gran said, holding up the red and blue emblem.

"I called Jack over to look at it. The instant that he touched it, it flew out of my hands and started spinning. It became a portal and dragged me into it, but left Jack behind for some reason. And this is when the story truly begins…"

**I know, short opening. I've always tried to imagine Gran's personality, and I think that she's a lot like Adriane. She may not be quite as aggressive, but she has a strong spirit like her granddaughter. I think her real name is Nakoma, but if you have information other-wise, please let me know.**


	2. Chapter 2: Mahou

Chapter 2: Mahou

"Oof!" grunted Nakoda as she landed. Rubbing her sore back, she sat up and looked up just in time to see the purple portal vanish into thin air. "Well, that was fun," she said to Jack. She waited for a response, but none came. "Jack?" she asked, looking around. Wherever she was, it looked a lot like the meadow they had been in. There were a few differences; there were colorful flowers here in more shades than she could name and the trees seemed bigger, but, more importantly, Jack wasn't anywhere in sight.

Nakoda stood up and looked hard at the stand of trees in front of her. She turned slowly, giving each tree the same hard stare. "If you're hiding in there I will find you," she half growled, expecting that any second he would appear laughing at his own joke. Only problem was, he didn't.

Trying to keep control of the fear that was slowly rising in her stomach, Nakoda dusted off the skirt she was wearing and straightened her hair a little bit. She carefully counted the beads that her mother had woven into it a few days before and was relieved that none of them had broken when she fell.

She looked around again. Although her field and this one looked alike, the differences were becoming more and more apparent. This one was smaller, the trees were definitely bigger, and there was a large boulder in the middle of it. She scrambled up it for a better view. Over the treetops she could just make out mountains in the distance. Now she was certain she wasn't anywhere near home anymore. "Jack!" she called quietly, afraid of unknown things lurking in the forest. She cried out again, still with no response. Finally she screamed his name. "JACK!" The only response to this was the screeching of birds that flew up for the trees.

Suddenly and branch snapped behind her. Nakoda whirled around. A small creature came out of the forest. It looked like a turtle but its legs and tail were longer than any turtle she had ever seen. "Shh!" it rasped. "Do you want to get eaten by the Yuukou?"

"A-a Yuukou? What's that?" Nakoda asked, startled that the thing had spoken to her and even more surprised that she had answered it.

"Are you a fool? A Yuukou is a nasty beast. It would eat you up for a snack. You are standing on its den, you know?" the creature said.

Nakoda half-slid and half-fell from the boulder and saw hat there was an opening dug underneath it.

"You're lucky it isn't home right now, but I wouldn't dawdle around here. You should run, get away from here before it comes back. That's what I'm doing." And with that, the animal, if it could be called that, turned and waddled back into the forest.

Nakoda decided to take its advice, not wanting to meet the mysterious and apparently dangerous Yuukou and set off into the forest, going in the opposite direction as the animal that had tipped her off. It might have just saved her life, but she wasn't anxious to spend the rest of the day with it.

Nakoda walked through the forest, trying to be silent. She remembered the games she used to play with her friends, her favorite being their own invention: hide-and-stay-hidden. Each of the players would find a hiding spot in the forest. Then they would have to start to a specified goal without making a sound. If another player saw you, you were out of the game. Now, Nakoda pretended that was what she was playing, carefully pushing branches aside and stepping over twigs and rocks.

The trees were massive. If she were to hug one, her arms would barely make it halfway around. Some her broad green leaves, while others had thin red or orange ones. Some had big blue flowers that smelled like the air after a storm, or tiny clumps of yellow ones with the scent like fresh picked daisies.

The ground was covered with ferns and odd little plants. Sometimes Nakoda saw small deer-like creatures, but they seemed shy and would disappear the instant she saw them. Squirrels jumped from the trees on occasions, causing leaves and petals to fall to the ground.

Nakoda remained alert at all times. Every so often, she would snap a twig or move a rock around on purpose. This was to mark where she had been in case she got too lost or if she accidentally circled back around.

At one point a shrill whistle startled her so much she almost screamed. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth as she looked wildly around. Was it the Yuukou? No. The only thing she saw was a large brightly colored bird. It confirmed her suspicions by making the noise again and then taking off, sailing between the trees with amazing grace despite its size.

She continued on, but by now she was getting hungry. Nakoda looked at the various bushes she was passing, hoping to find one that had some sort of familiar berry. She found one with large purple berries that looked very good, but she was still afraid to try one. She knew that mushrooms would be poisonous even if they looked safe, and she was worried that the berries had the same trick. So she ignored her growling stomach and continued on.

It was getting late. The forest had started to get darker than it already was. She decided to find some sort of shelter, hopefully one in a tree. Although she hadn't felt as though she was in too much danger, the turtle-thing's warning still made her nervous.

As she pushed past another set of shrubs, she stumbled out of the forest and into a plain. The green grass was short and a few trees dotted the area here and there. In the distance she could see another line of trees and behind them to her right was a mountain. The sun was setting in front of her. She had been traveling west all along. Or had she? Sure one Earth the sun set in the west, but here in this place, who knew?

Nakoda started towards one of the trees, when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. When she turned to look at it, she froze in her tracks.


	3. Chapter 3: Yuukou

Chapter 3: Yuukou

Nakoda turned carefully and slowly to face one of the trees. Resting in the shade of the tree was a large animal. It looked to be about the size of a horse, and its neck and shaggy mane were that of a horse. The rest of it was extremely lion-like. Its fur was a tawny gold, with a dark brown mane. Its eyes were closed. But it wasn't sleeping. It proved that by running its tongue over its long sharp looking teeth.

Nakoda started to back away slowly. If she made it back into the forest without it seeing her, she might be safe. She never took her eyes off the beast. Unfortunately, that was what caused her the most problems. She stepped on a twig, which snapped with a terrifyingly loud crack. Instantly, the creature's eyes shot open. It swung its head around and fixed its large eyes of Nakoma. Never taking its eyes off her, it stood up and stretched. Then it started towards Nakoda.

_This is it! I'm done for!_ Nakoda thought. There was no way she could fight the animal, and she knew she couldn't outrun those long legs. Nakoda squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the end. But it never came. She cautiously opened one eye, and then the other. The animal had vanished. Glancing around, Nakoda turned to head back to the forest. She could hide there until she knew for certain it left.

As she turned around, Nakoda came face to muzzle with the creature. It was bigger than she was, forcing Nakoda to look up at it. What could be considered its forelock covered up one of its eyes, but the other one was a beautiful blue-green color. It breathed in and opened its mouth, giving Nakoda an up close view of its fangs. Nakoda did the only thing she had enough brainpower at that moment to do.

She screamed.

The creature's eye went wide, and it screamed, "AAHHHHH!" It stumbled backwards, tripping over its own long tail. It rolled and, much to Nakoda's surprise, cowered. "If you're going to eat me, just do it fast! I have very low tolerance for pain," it said.

Nakoda stared for a second. When she found her voice, she said, "W-wait, you th-think I'm going to eat _you_?"

The animal looked up. "Well, aren't you?" It sounded very puzzled.

"No. I thought _you'd _eat _me_. You have the teeth for it," Nakoda answered.

The creature uncurled itself. "Me? No, I wouldn't eat you. I mean, sure I'm a carnivore, butI like the occasional salad, too. Plus, mother told me never to eat anything that either you don't recognize or it talks," it said, sitting with its tail wrapped aroundits legs.

"Oh."

There was a long pause before it spoke again. "So, uh, what are you, anyway?"

"I'm a human. My name's Nakoda," the girl said. "And you?"

"I'm Kiana, a Yuukou."

Nakoda leapt backwards. "Don't come any closer!" she cried.

"What! What did I do!" Kiana said, springing to her paws and backing up as well, her head low.

"You're a Yuukou! The turtle-thing told me you would attack me!" Nakoma said.

"No, I wouldn't do that! We Yuukou don't attack those that we know the names of without good reason!" she said, laying back her ears, trying to look cute and unthreatening. "Besides, I've already eaten."

"Really?" Nakoda asked, relaxing slightly.

"Really." Kiana straightened up again, and approached Nakoda. She stopped a few feet away and stretched out her muzzle. Nakoda tentatively reached up and placed her hand on Kiana's nose. Nakoda gently rubbed the soft fur, and the Yuukou purred deeply.

Nakoda smiled. "You're just a big kitty, aren't' you?"

"I have no idea what a 'kitty' is, but if it makes you feel comfortable to be around me, then yes," replied Kiana, eyes closed, thoroughly enjoying the attention.

At that moment, Nakoda's stomach rumbled. Kiana opened her eyes and looked at the human. "So you're the hungry one…" Nakoda nodded, her face reddening slightly. "Well, why didn't you eat something in the forest?"

"Because I don't know what is safe and what isn't."

"Ah. Come on then. I'll show you what's good and what isn't." Kiana started towards the forest. Nakoda followed. She had to walk a little faster then she usually did, because the Yuukou's stride was much longer than she had ever expected.

Trying to keep up distracted her mind from watching where she was going, and she tripped over an exposed tree root. She yelped as she went down. Almost instantly, Kiana was at her side. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking down at Nakoda with big eyes.

"I think so, but my ankle hurts."

"Here." Kiana bent down. "Hang onto my mane." Nakoda did as she was told, and Kiana straightened up, taking Nakoda up onto her feet. She didn't put too much weight on the injured leg, but she was able to put a little bit on it. "Okay, lean against me. I'll take you to my den, and then I'll go find something for you to eat." Kiana started moving, this time much slower, allowing Nakoda to set the pace.

As they traveled, Nakoda saw some of her trail markers. Kiana was struggling to keep such a slow pace. Finally she knelt down. "Get on if you can."

Nakoda obliged the Yuukou's request. Kiana stood up slowly and gently. "Hang on and keep your head down. There are all sorts of low branches and vines in here." As soon as she felt Nakoda get situated, Kiana started off at a brisk trot. Her long legs ate up an incredible amount of space.

Soon they had reached the clearing Nakoda had first been. Kiana knelt down again for the girl to get off and helped her down the tunnel underneath the boulder. The tunnel was long, dark, and narrow, but both were easily able to get down it. The tunnel suddenly opened up into a large warm den, easily big enough for three animals the same size as Kiana. It was lined with soft grasses, and the walls were dotted here and there with strange crystals. Some glowed a gentle purple color and some that looked dark blue didn't.

"What are those?" Nakoda asked as she settled herself into the grass. Oddly, it seemed to be still alive even though it was underground.

"Well, the grass is a special type that likes underground environments. It doesn't need real sunlight, and the little water that does get this far down into the earth is just enough for it to survive. The crystals are very special to me, and extremely useful. Besides giving me light, they know what time of day it is, even under the ground. The purple ones glow at night, and the blue ones during the day."

"Very interesting," Nakoda said, nodding slightly. "Kind of like a clock."

"I'll be right back with something to eat," Kiana said. "Will you be alright on your own?"

"I think so."

"Okay. I'll see you in a few." Kiana climbed into the tunnel and disappeared up it.

Nakoda sat alone. She half dragged herself over to one of the crystals. She touched the glowing one. It was slightly warm. The dark one was cold as ice. Both were smoothas glass, and the unlit one reflected her face like a mirror. It was covered with dirt and scratches. She tried to wipe away as much dirt as she could. She only looked slightly better than before. She sighed and touched the beads in her hair. She already missed her family. And what about Jack? She was pretty sure he wasn't in this world. _He must be really worried_, she thought.

She was so preoccupied she didn't notice that Kiana had returned.

She put down the large folded leaf she had been carrying, and gently nudged Nakoda's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Nakoda looked up, slightly startled. "Oh, hi. Yeah, I'm okay."

"You don't look it. And I'm pretty sure it doesn't have anything to do with your leg."

"I…I just miss my home," Nakoda said quietly.

"Oh, if that's all I'll just take you home tomorrow."

"I don't think it's that simple. Tell me, what where are we? I mean, what world is this?" Nakoda asked.

"This is Mahou. Everyone knows that," Kiana said matter-of-factly, looking at Nakoda with puzzlement. "Why?"

Nakoma sighed. "I'm from a world called Earth."

"…Oh." Kiana paused for a moment. "I may not be able to help you get there, but I think I know who can. I'll explain more tomorrow. You look exhausted. Here, eat this."

Kiana pulled the leaf to her and unfolded it with her paw. Inside were some small red berries, some larger blue ones, and a green apple-like fruit.

Nakoda tried the red berries. The skin was a little sour, but the inside was very sweet, the green fruit tasted more like a plum then an apple, and the blue berries were filed entirely by juice.

"Thanks," Nakoda said as she finished. She started to feel drowsy. Just before she fell asleep, she felt Kiana curl up around her. Nakoda had just enough time to cuddle into the soft fur before falling asleep.

**How do you like it so far? I have a couple of pictures of Kiana up on DevianArt. Go check them out (look for the link on my page).**


	4. Chapter 4: The Journey Begins

Chapter 4: Beads **Hi! Just a note to y'all. It's been brought to my attention that Gran's name is Nako**_**d**_**a and not Nako**_**m**_**a (Thanks, Rainpath). My bad. I've gone back and changed the name in previous chapters, and it will be Nakoda from now on. Thanks for being patient with my mistake.** Chapter 4: The Journey Begins

When Nakoda woke up, the blue crystals were lit up, casting a gentle blue glow around the cave. She sat up suddenly realizing she was alone. Kiana was gone. Nakoda shifted nervously. What if something found her? She would be trapped down here, unable to fight.

Pebbles bounced down the tunnel entrance. Nakoda froze, her wide eyes fixed on the opening. Then, the tawny face of Kiana appeared. Another leaf clutched in her teeth. She placed the leaf near Nakoda's feet. "Good morning. How did you sleep?" Kiana said, shaking her mane.

"Pretty good," Nakoda answered, but she felt as though something was nagging in the back of her mind. A bad dream. She had one. She couldn't remember what had happened in it, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to remember. 

She ignored it, and opened up the leaf, finding it contained the same types of food as the day before. "Sorry about the limited selections, but they are the closest to my den."

"No problem. Do you want any?"

"No, I've already eaten."

Nakoda nodded as she started in. Pretty soon she had finished. Kiana was lying in one corner with her eyes closed. At first Nakoma had thought the Yuukou had fallen asleep. Then she opened her eyes and looked at the girl. 

"So, tell me about yourself," Nakoda said, pulling her legs up to her chest and rested her head on her knees.

"There's not much to say. I've lived alone for most of my life. All Yuukou's do. When we reach one year of age, we leave our mothers and find our own way in life. We never see each other again."

"That's so sad," Nakoda murmured. She started to play with the beads in her hair.

"Sad?" Kiana looked at her strangely. "Why would it be sad?"

"Well, you had to leave your family behind. On Earth, we stay with our families for much longer than one year, and we see them often even after that, or at least we talk with them."

"That's odd," Kiana said, tilting her head. "How do you learn to survive on your own without doing it for yourself?"

"We learn from our parents, and we go to school, although I don't think it does much of anything," the girl said, still twiddling with her beads.

"What are those and why do you keep playing with them?" Kiana asked.

"Oh, these? These are beads," Nakoda said. "My mother gave them to me."

"May I see them?" Kiana said. Nakoma nodded and the Yuukou got up and approached her. She studied the beads, taking in each detail with her blue-green eyes. "This one's pretty," she said, touching it with her nose.

Nakoda looked at it. Kiana had chosen a long, thin red one with silver lines crisscrossing it. "I like that one, too. It's one of my favorites."

Kiana nodded. "How's your ankle doing?"

Nakoda studied it. It wasn't swollen, and although it still hurt, it wasn't very much. "I think I'm okay."

"Good. Let's go to see if they will know how to get you home." Kiana started to head up the tunnel.

Nakoda scrambled to her feet. "Whoa, wait a second. Who are you bringing me to see?"

Kiana sighed. "The King and Queen. They should know a way to find a way to get you back to this Earth. Now come on."

Kiana pushed through crawled up the tunnel. Nakoda sighed and followed her. Kiana waited for her outside, flicking her tail from side to side. She was slightly tense, but she forced a smile up onto her face as Nakoda came up. 

She nodded to the girl, then turned and padded into the forest. Thankfully, Kiana kept her pace slower so Nakoda could keep up. 

At first Kiana stayed on a relatively well worn but narrow path. The forest was thick and dense on either side of them, forcing Nakoda to walk behind the Yuukou. As they traveled, the girl noticed something. Although Kiana kept her strides loose and relaxed, Nakoda saw how she kept flicking her tail from side to side, and she often would glance nervously into the trees.

Before she could ask Kiana what was wrong, she stopped and turned slightly so she could see Nakoda. "We're leaving the trail now. Keep close to me and keep your eyes open," she said, then pushed though the underbrush and into the forest. Nakoda could do nothing other than follow her. She struggled past bushes, ducked beneath vines, and pushed branches out of her way. 

Despite all this, Nakoda noticed how Kiana got more agitated as they went on. She frequently would stop short and stare hard through the trees. Nakoda finally got up the courage to ask, "Kiana, what's wrong?"

The Yuukou glanced back at her and forced a nervous smile onto her face. "Let's just say there are plenty of unfriendly things in here. I'll be much happier once we get to open country."

From that point on, they continued on mostly in silence. Kiana would only call warnings back to Nakoda, usually to watch out for a large root or to stay closer. 

Since Kiana was so tense, Nakoda also kept alert as she dodged branches. Presently, she noticed the trees were thinning out. She saw Kiana start to relax as well, her short carefully placed strides getting longer and looser with each paw step. 

Soon they were out of the forest. They now were in a desert-like terrain. Small sage bushes and clumps of trees dotted the landscape and in the distance she could see tall mountains. By this point, Kiana was about as calm as a lake on a windless day. Her tail had finally stopped twitching, and she carried her head low. Each step was easy and deliberate. She reminded Nakoda of a horse on a lazy summer day. 

Kiana stopped and turned to face Nakoda. She had a few scratches on her head and shoulders, but all sorts of twigs and leaves were tangled in her mane. "How are you holding up?"

Nakoda was certain that she too had scratches on her face and arms from the branches, but she answered, "I'm fine. What's next?"

"The palace is across the plains. It will take a few days to get there. Do you want to continue on, or should we rest the night?" Kiana said. She went momentarily cross-eyed as she attempted to see the foliage that was stuck in her forelock. 

Nakoda stifled a giggle. "Let me." Kiana lowered her head and Nakoda carefully removed the various twigs from it and the rest of her mane. When she finished, she said, "If you're up to going on, then so am I." 

Kiana nodded. "Have you ever ridden a horse before?" she asked suddenly. Nakoda nodded, although she was slightly confused. Kiana turned so her side was to Nakoda. "Then get on. We will be faster that way."

Nakoda stepped forward and grasped Kiana's mane. She swung herself up onto the Yuukou's back. This time she noticed much more about being on Kiana's back than she had the day before. Kiana was tall and very thin. As she started to walk, Nakoda could feel each muscle as it moved, and her gait swung from side to side more than a horse's. 

"Hang on," Kiana said. Nakoda wove her fingers deeper into Kiana's mane as the Yuukou started to lope. Nakoda was amazed at how smooth and fast it was. Her paws made almost no sound as they hit the ground even though she moved up and down with each stride like a carousel horse. Despite the fact that it was a relatively slow pace, Kiana could've easily outrun a horse at full gallop. 

Nakoda leaned forward and tightened her grip. Kiana took this to mean that it was okay to go even faster and quickly obliged her rider. The transition into a gallop was so smooth that Nakoda didn't notice it until she looked down. The ground flew by beneath them. The faster they went, the smoother the ride became. Nakoda felt as though she was flying. She let go of the mane and threw her hands out to her sides like wings, laughing out loud. Kiana, thoroughly enjoying the run, tossed her head like a wild horse and leaped into the air. They sailed through the air for a few seconds before her paws hit the ground again. There was no bump as they landed, but Nakoda still reached down to grasp the mane.

Kiana finally slowed down. Soon she was walking. Nakoda could feel her sides heaving as she panted. "Mind if we stop for today?" Kiana asked breathlessly. 

"Not at all," Nakoda said, still grinning from ear to ear. She slid off of the Yuukou's back. Together, they headed towards the nearest stand of trees. Kiana scratched at the ground briefly before circling and lying down, much in the same way as a dog would. Nakoma settled in beside her. As she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, she realized her hair was still full of twigs from the trek through the forest. _I'll sort it out tomorrow,_ she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

**Kina short, I know. By the way, I am a horse-freak, in case you couldn't tell from my descritptions…**


	5. Chapter 5: The Hunt

Just a warning **Just a warning. This chapter has a little bit of violence in it. Don't worry; it's not really all that scary. You can probably figure out what is going to happen just by the title of the chapter. Just to be sure, I'm increasing this particular chapter's rating to K+.** Chapter 5: The Hunt

Nakoda woke from her dream with a start. She was panting and her heart was racing. What had scared her? She wracked her memory, trying to remember what she had dreamed. A dark figure…It was moving through the trees…It seemed so familiar…Suddenly it came to her: the figure was the same one that had thrown the emblem into the field. She shivered at the thought. The thing in her dream seemed to emit waves of evil.

As she ran her fingers through her hair, she noticed that every twig and leaf had been removed from it. _Kiana_, she thought with a smile. Speaking of which, where was she? Nakoda glanced around. Kiana's 'bed' was empty. It looked like it had been that way for a while.

"Kiana?" she called quietly. She couldn't believe her friend had abandoned her.

She crawled to edge of the trees and looked out. What she saw surprised her. Several deer-like creatures stood outside, grazing on the short grass. There were three does, one of which had a fawn, and a large buck. The buck was alert, looking around constantly and only grabbing a mouthful of grass on occasion. When he noticed Nakoda, he sniffed the air and decided she was of no danger.

He relaxed and reached down for another mouthful, his head shot up, his ears pricked and his body quivering. The rest of his herd looked up as well. The buck bleated, and at his signal the entire herd took off. Nakoda wondered what happened, but only for a moment. A second later, Nakoda saw Kiana fall into pursuit behind them.

Kiana hung back, watching the herd move before her, studying them. If they slowed down, she lunged at them, forcing her quarry to keep moving. Nakoda watched in horror as the fawn stumbled and fell. Its mother stopped and raced back to defend her child. Kiana swerved out of the way of the sharp flashing hooves and continued on, ignoring them. All her focus was centered on the remaining does and the buck.

Kiana suddenly leapt forward. She landed in the middle of them, separating them. The buck and one of the does veered off in one direction. The final doe tried to follow, but Kiana blocked her way. She snarled, her head low and her tail lashing from side to side. She crept forward, forcing the animal to back up. Nakoda could see the whites of its eyes and it retreated in fear. Suddenly, the doe reared up. Kiana shrank back slightly from those dangerous hooves and waited for it to come down.

As the doe went back down onto all fours, Kiana sprang. She buried her claws into its shoulder. Using her weight, Kiana threw the animal down. Kiana leapt back, panting slightly. The doe, raised its head, but made no attempt to get up. Kiana approached it, then stopped. To Nakoda's amazement, Kiana curled one leg under her and bowed to her prey. She looked at it, waiting. A moment later, the doe nodded to Kiana, then laid its head back down of the ground. Kiana stood and approached it. She gently picked up its neck in her mouth. She then bit down, killing it cleanly and quickly. Kiana stepped back and looked up to the sky. She stayed that way for a minute before starting in on her meal.

Nakoda couldn't decide how to feel. She now saw her friend truly was a hunter. She saw how dangerous the Yuukou was. But, what she did before taking the life of her prey…it was almost beautiful. She had given her prey the chance to get up and run. And the doe had consented to die. It had allowed it. Nakoda threw these thoughts around in her head for a while.

What brought her out of her brooding was a low growl. As she looked out between the trees, she saw Kiana standing over the doe, glaring across the plain. A large bear was standing on its hind legs about ten yards away. It took a step closer to the kill. But when Kiana growled again, it dropped down and backed up. Kiana kept her sight on it until it sat down and looked away from her. Kiana went back to her meal. When she had finished, she turned and walked away from the remains. The bear stood up again and moved towards it. This time, Kiana made no move to keep it away. The bear picked it up and dragged it further away from Kiana before settling down to eat. Kiana started to groom herself in the same fashion as a housecat would.

Nakoda emerged from the trees and started towards Kiana. She glanced up at the girl before returning to her bath. As she finished, the Yuukou stood and shook out her mane. "I hope this does not change our friendship," she said quietly.

Nakoda remained still for a moment before kneeling next to her. She placed her hand on Kiana's shoulder. Kiana sighed heavily, her body shuddering from it. Nakoda hesitated before asking, "Why did you just stand back? It could have gotten away."

A faint smile flickered briefly onto Kiana's face. "It is an ancient tradition. By simply taking its life away immediately would be considered murder. It is honorable to allow it to choose for itself."

"Has your prey ever run away when you gave it a chance?"

"Yes. Several times." Kiana stood and stretched. She looked down at the girl who was still crouched next to her. "Are you okay?"

Nakoda looked up. "Just thinking." With a small frown on her face she looked down. She looked back up again. "One request. As noble and almost beautiful as that was, the next time you go hunting, make sure I'm asleep."

Kiana laughed deeply, almost a purr. "Will do. Now let's go!"

Not too bad, right? Not too violent? Just as another warning, the next chapter will also have a small battle in it, but nothing too bad. It will probably be as short as this one. Nobody minds, right?


	6. Chapter 6: A Bad Reputation

Chapter 6: Bad Reputation Chapter 6: Bad Reputation

Kiana and Nakoda traveled for several days and nights. The terrain had grown progressively harsher. All plant life had disappeared, save for the few cacti that showed up every so often. The ground was dry and cracked, and there was practically no water. The worst part was the mountains seemed no closer.

"How much farther?" Nakoda asked. She was walking beside the Yuukou in hopes that not having to carry her would help her friend.

Kiana narrowed her eyes. "I can see the tree line at the other side of the desert. Just beyond that is the palace."

"Why would anyone in their right mind build a home near a desert?" Nakoda muttered.

"It wasn't always like this. Look at the ground. There are dry riverbeds all over the place. But now isn't the time to talk. We'll only exhaust ourselves more."

Kina suddenly raised her head. "I smell water!" She picked up the pace slightly, turning to the left. Nakoda stumbled on after her. As they rounded a boulder, before them was a small pond. Kiana pulled in great gulps of water, a rumbling purr coming from her. Nakoda practically fell face first into it. She didn't think she had ever been so happy to find water before in her life.

Kiana suddenly froze. "Oh no…"

Nakoda looked up and was like-wise paralyzed. Before them stood a Yuukou. Its pelt was as light as the sand, while its mane was black. Its grey eyes regarded them with hate.

Kiana raised her head. "Rohan," she addressed the Yuukou coldly. "Rohan is one of those who are responsible for the Yuukou's bad reputation," she added to Nakoda quietly.

"Kiana. Why have you and that…human entered my territory?" Rohan demanded with a growl.

"We're just passing through, Rohan. We don't want any trouble-"

"Ha! Of course you don't! Look at you, you're pathetic. But, if you are that anxious to avoid a fight, I will strike you a deal. I will let you pass through if you will give me something in return," the larger Yuukou snarled.

Kiana's eyes narrowed. "You are planning some sort of trick. What is it you want?"

"Her," Rohan said simply, looking meaningfully at Nakoda. He unsheathed his claws and ran his tongue over dangerously sharp fangs.

Nakoda drew her breath in sharply and came closer to Kiana, clutching her mane. Kiana lowered her head and revealed her own teeth. "You will not get her," she snarled.

"Then you will both die," Rohana roared. Kiana answered with her own roar and unsheathed her claws, her eyes ablaze with fury.

Rohan raced around the watering hole straight at Nakoda. Kiana roughly shoved Nakoda behind her and braced herself. Nakoda scrambled to get behind the boulder. She watched the fight from there.

Kiana rose to her hind legs just as Rohan leapt. She locked her claws into the larger animal's shoulder, but Rohan's inertia pushed Kiana down onto her back. Rohan made a wild snap at Kiana's throat. Kiana raised a paw and delivered a powerful blow to Rohan's head, knocking him aside. Kiana rolled out from under him, then whirled around. She sprang at Rohan and landed squarely on his back, but Rohan had the advantage of size. He twisted himself around, loosening her grip. He then threw Kiana from his back. She landed, dazed, in the pond. She looked up in time to see Rohan land with a splash on top of her. He pushed her head under with one paw and held her there. Kiana's legs flailed wildly, desperately trying to find anything to lock onto. One of the hit Rohan in the chest hard, forcing him to take a step back. Kiana took this chance to force her head up, unbalancing him further. She delivered another solid hit to his chest, finally forcing Rohan off of her. He stumbled back as Kiana flipped upright. She leapt onto him while he was still unbalanced. Rohan was sent reeling from the impact. He hit the ground hard and rolled. He attempted to get up before Kiana slammed into him again. Rohan bellowed with rage as Kiana sprang once more. He rolled over and thrusted his legs up, hitting her in the stomach. The air was knocked from her lungs as she landed hard off to the side. She didn't move. Rohan chuckled to himself as he approached his motionless prey. Kiana had landed facing away from him and towards where Nakoda was hiding. The girl saw a flicker of movement. Kiana had opened her eyes and winked at her. Just as Rohan raised his paw to deliver a killing blow, Kiana darted to her paws and grabbed his leg in her jaws. She whipped her neck downward, slamming Rohan hard into the ground. He lay there, unconscious.

Kiana staggered to her paws. "Nakoda! Let's go!"

The girl ran to her friend and threw her arms around her neck. Kiana winced in pain, whimpering slightly. Nakoda drew back to see long claw marks going down Kiana's neck and shoulder. Scratches crossed her muzzle and Nakoda noticed deeper lacerations on Kiana's front leg. Nakoda took a step back.

"Nakoda, we have to move before he wakes up!" Kiana insisted.

"No." Nakoda turned and walked to the pond. She knelt down and tore several strips of fabric from her skirt. She dunked them in the water before returning to Kiana's side. She carefully cleaned the scratches on Kiana's shoulder and muzzle. She couldn't help feeling guilty every time her friend winced. At last she turned her attention to Kiana's leg. She cleaned it then wrapped the final piece of cloth around it and tied it tightly. She hoped it would stop the bleeding.

"Are you done yet? I don't want to be around when Rohan comes to," Kiana said, sounding slightly exasperated. Nakoda looked up into Kiana's face and nodded. "Good. Get on."

Once more Nakoda shook her head. "No." She held up her hand before Kiana could say anything more. "You're hurt, and I don't want to make it any worse."

Kiana rolled her eyes. "Fine." She limped to the pond and took several more gulps of water. Then she picked up a trot-like pace, forcing Nakoda to jog in order to keep up. Still, Nakoda noticed how short each stride was in hopes of keeping more weight off of her bad leg.

Kiana couldn't keep up that speed for very long and slowed down after about half an hour. Another thirty minutes went by and she couldn't even put any weight on the leg and now limped along on three legs. No matter how many times Nakoda suggested that they rest, Kiana would shake out her mane and refuse it, limping faster for about five steps. Finally, in hopes of forcing the Yuukou to stop, Nakoda pretended to collapse from exhaustion, carefully choosing a spot in the shade of a boulder to do so. She felt Kiana kneel down beside her. Soon after, she heard her friend quietly snoring.

--

The next day, Kiana's leg seemed a little bit better. Nakoda still refused to ride her, so they continued on at what seemed like a snail's pace.

After several hours, Nakoda thought she heard running water, but perhaps the heat was playing tricks on her. Then Kiana's ears pricked forward. "I think I hear water."

Both of them quickened the pace. Indeed, with each step, the sound grew louder. Eventually, they came upon a thin trickle of water, fed by and underground spring. It widened out after a few hundred feet and became a full-fledged river.

After they took a short break, Kiana stood up. "Get on. No, don't argue, just get on." Nakoda shrugged but complied. Kiana stepped forward carefully into the river. At first, Nakoda was worried that they would sink. But Kiana was a surprisingly good swimmer; although it didn't hurt that the water practically carried them along. Kiana hardly had to work to stay afloat, and the currents were about as fast as her lope.

They ended up using the river as their main transportation, only coming to dry ground whenever they needed to rest or if the river was too rough and rocky to navigate.

--

By using the river, they crossed the remaining desert in a few days. Once they reached the forest, they had to leave the river behind. Fortunately, Kiana's leg had healed quite a bit. Still, Nakoda walked beside her friend, not wishing to worsen Kiana's leg again.

The forest thinned out quickly until they came to a vast meadow. In the center of it was the palace. Nakoda was amazed by it. It was simply enormous. The walls were a soft white color, while the roofs were a dazzling gold. From the four outer turrets, a different colored flag fluttered in the breeze: red, blue, green, and white. A tall grand tower rose from the center, and the flag that flew from it was silver in color, and in the center of it was the exact same emblem that Nakoda had found in the field.

"It's beautiful," she said. Kiana nodded in agreement. Suddenly, she tensed. "What is it?"

"A Keiba," Kiana whispered. Her eyes were locked on the creature that approached. Its body was white and equine shaped, but its golden head, tail, and mane were that of a lion. "They are related to the Yuukou…kind of like a wolf is to a dog."

"So who's descended from who?" Nakoda asked.

"Nobody's really sure about that. But right now, it doesn't matter. Now hush." They caught a glint from its neck. It appeared to be wearing a gold collar. "Oh perfect, we've attracted the captain of the king's army."

The Keiba had halted about ten feet away. It regarded them with blue eyes. "I am Lutheus, Captain of the Royal Army. Who are you and why have you come?" he demanded.

Kiana lowered her head and angled it away from him. "I am Kiana, and this is my friend, Nakoda." She ignored the 'humph' that come from Lutheus. "We have come in hopes that the Majesties might help Nakoda find a way home."

Lutheus raised an eyebrow at this. He studied both of them for a few moments. Finally he spoke. "Nakoda can come with me, but you, Yuukou, you must remain behind."

"Very well then," Kiana said, trying to hide the sadness in her voice.

"But Kiana-," Nakoda started to protest.

"It can't be helped. Go with him. If there's one thing I know about the Keiba, they can be trusted. Hopefully, I will be able to see you again before you leave. Good-bye, Nakoda." Kiana's eyes were filled with sadness. She didn't want to leave her only friend behind, but she knew that if she refused Lutheus' offer, she would probably have to fight him, and most likely lose.

"Good-bye," Nakoda whispered. She hugged Kiana one last time. Kiana gently pulled away after a few moments. She nodded to Lutheus, then turned and ran back to the forest. Nakoda watched the retreating back of the Yuukou before turning to Lutheus. Anger sparked deep within her.

"Why did you make her leave?" she all but screamed.

The Keiba looked down at her calmly. "It is a simple fact: the is not a Yuukou alive that is trustworthy."

"But Kiana is!" Nakoda shouted. "She saved my life! She almost got herself killed!"

"This is irrelevant. Now, are you coming to see the King and Queen or not?" a slight snarl came out with his otherwise emotionless voice.

Nakoda sighed heavily. Maybe if she could convince them that not all of the Yuukou were dangerous, they would allow her to see Kiana one last time. "Yes, I'm coming," she growled.


	7. Chapter 7: Royalty

Chapter 7: Royalty Chapter 7: Royalty

"Good."

The Keiba knelt down for Nakoda, clearly expecting her to get on. Nakoda simply looked away from him and stormed off towards the palace. Lutheus watched her, looking mildly surprised before standing and catching up with her.

"You're rather full of yourself for being in a different land," he said in the same monotone voice.

"Yeah? Well, deal with it," the girl snapped back. Lutheus was taken aback by her aggression. In all his days, he never had met someone who was as fiery as this girl. He had to admit, he was impressed. But why on Mahou would she believe that a Yuukou could be befriended? They were vicious, notorious backstabbers. This 'friend' was probably faking it, planning something terrible…wasn't it?

Nakoda glanced over at the captain to see if he had reacted at all to her words. All she saw was the same bland expression staring blankly ahead. _Does this guy have any emotions?_ They walked on in silence for a while, each of them brooding over their thoughts.

Finally, Nakoda sighed. She couldn't understand why the Keiba wouldn't believe Kiana was good. "Why won't you believe that Kiana is a good being?"

Lutheus glanced at her. "All Yuukou cannot be trusted. They are traitors. Even the King was betrayed by one many years ago."

Nakoda looked up at him curiously. "What happened?"

Lutheus stared blankly ahead. "It is not my place to tell you."

Nakoda rolled her eyes and sighed. Seeing as how Lutheus made one of the worst travel companions she ever met, she gave up on talking to him entirely.

--

Nakoda stared up at the palace gate. It was easily two stories tall. She wasn't even going to guess the height of the entire structure; just looking at it made her head spin.

"Open up!" Lutheus ordered, his deep voice taking on an edge of superiority. The tall gates creaked open a little ways, just enough for them to slip through. Lutheus nodded to the two sentries-they appeared to be elves-who saluted back to their captain.

Nakoda stayed involuntarily close to her guide. Being in such a grand place unnerved her, and the guards holding highly polished swords didn't help relieve any stress.

Corridor after corridor went by. Nakoda wondered how anyone would be able to remember the layout of the palace. Finally (after two left turns, three rights, and one incredibly long staircase), they arrived at the doors Nakoda assumed led to the throne room. The marble molding was trimmed with gold, and the wooden doors were intricately engraved. The guards were heavily armored. She wasn't able to tell if they were human, although she doubted it. All she knew was that they stood on two legs, had two arms, and some very dangerous looking spears.

"I will announce your arrival. Wait here," Lutheus said. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and pushed his way through the doors. Nakoda was able to catch a glimpse of red velvet before the heavy door swung shut. She glanced to her left. The guard was ignoring her. The one on her right was staring intently at her. She drew her breath in sharply and looked away quickly. Its eyes seemed to be glowing, and they seemed to stare directly into her. She found herself hoping the Keiba would return soon.

Thankfully, the doors swung open again. Lutheus stood in front of one, holding it open for her. "You may enter now. King Usagi and Queen Cira are anxious to meet you."

Nakoda stepped past him and froze. The room was far bigger than she had imagined. Each of the ten floor-to-ceiling windows, five on each side, had heavy red velvet curtains. Gold cords pulled back the beautiful curtains, and it seemed as though one could see for miles by looking out of the windows. Ornate gold and silver chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the floor was made of light gray marble.

At the other end, the thrones sat upon an elevated platform. The King and Queen stood before them. The King's clothes were different shades of blue, while the Queen's were white and lavender.

"Welcome," King Usagi said, his voice sounding much younger than Nakoda had expected. He was tall with dark brown hair. His blue eyes held a serene and dignified look. Queen Cira nodded to Nakoda with a small but kind smile. Her long blonde hair was pulled back, and her eyes were a gentle grey, the kind of grey that reminded Nakoda of the sky just after a rainstorm.

Nakoda tried to curtsey for them, but it looked more like a clumsy attempt to bow.

"We understand that you have come to us for help to get home again," the Queen said. Her voice sounded like the wind in summer, strong but warm and friendly.

"Yes, but I don't know if you could even help me. My friend thought you could, so she escorted me here."

King Usagi smiled broadly. "I certain we could. I don't see how you could have gotten that far from home."

Nakoda sighed heavily. "Farther than you think," she half muttered. Louder, she said, "I do not come from this world, but from one called Earth."

The King and Queen both visibly stiffened and glanced at each other. The Queen looked back at her, a smile that looked more nervous than friendly on her face. "I'm certain that we could find a way. But, it may be more complicated than we expected…" Her voice faded off and worry-lines creased her otherwise flawless face.

The King asked loudly, "Who was this friend that helped you to get here?"

Nakoda looked away. "Her name is Kiana," she answered quietly.

"Kiana? I don't recognize that name, and I know everyone in this kingdom by name…What is she?"

The girl hesitated. It had been made very clear to her that Yuukou were not held in high esteem. Would telling them put Kiana, and herself, in danger? But both of them were looking at her intensely, and she was almost forced to answer by those expectant stares. "Kiana is a…a Yuukou."

The smiles vanished from their faces for a second before returning, this time much more forced. "I see," King Usagi said. "My wife and myself will discuss how to get you home. For now, I will have Lutheus escort you to the courtyard. We will talk with you more later on."

Lutheus pushed the giant doors behind her open right on cue. After bidding their farewells, Nakoda followed the Keiba down the stairs and through the many corridors to the courtyard.

No sooner had the door closed did the King and Queen turn to each other, the fake smiles gone.

"Cira, I never thought that this would happen in my life. As the legend says, when one from another world comes the first time, we will find a traitor in our midst."

"The visitor is supposed to be able to find this traitor, but she is so young! I couldn't put a child in this danger!"

"The thing that concerns me even more is the fact that she believes she has befriended a Yuukou," the King sighed.

"You still remember…?"

"How could I forget?"


	8. Chapter 8: Stranger and Disaster

Chapter 8: Stranger Chapter 8: Stranger and Disaster

"Wait here. I must speak with the King and Queen," Lutheus ordered. Nakoda nodded and watched him silently as he left her standing in the middle of the courtyard. The door shut, and she was left alone.

The palace surrounded the courtyard. The path was made from brick in soft shades of gray. The gardens were alive with color; vivid reds, cheerful yellows, calming blues, and bright green plants and flowers thrived in the flowerbeds. Small fishponds with white or lavender water lilies dotted the gardens. _A person can really just forget about the world here_, Nakoda thought as she closed he eyes.

Something that felt like an electric shock raced up her spine. Nakoda bristled. She was very aware that someone was here, and she was pretty sure that someone wasn't nice at all. She opened her eyes and turned to see a tall figure dressed in flowing black robes striding towards her. His long black hair hung in a loose ponytail, and a lock of it half covered one of his deep red eyes. He stopped about ten feet away from her and studied her. Nakoda shivered again. She wanted to run desperately, but she was sure he would catch her before she'd gone three steps. And even if she got back into the castle, it was such a maze that she would get hopelessly lost in it.

"Good afternoon," the man said, bowing deeply to her. He smiled as he straightened up. Nakoda was pretty sure those were fangs instead of teeth. "Who might you be, miss?"

Nakoda hesitated. "What's the matter? If I tell you my name, will you tell me yours?" Nakoda glanced at the door behind him. If she ran really fast, she might be able to make it. The man saw this and shifted so he was blocking it from her sight completely. "I'm Akuma, the brother of the King. Now, who are you?" He said the last three words with such emphasis that Nakoda couldn't help but answer, lest she made him angry. "Nakoda," she said in a small voice.

Akuma smiled. "See? That wasn't so hard. Now why are you here?" He took a step toward her. Nakoda backed up quickly. She felt like a foal cornered by a cougar. "I don't have to tell you," she snapped, more out of fear than anger.

"Very well. Aren't you the girl who was brought here by a Yuukou?" He stepped forward again. Nakoda shrank back, but nodded. "Poor girl. Such nasty creatures, the Yuukou. By now I'm sure you know His Majesty was betrayed by one."

Nakoda looked up into those red eyes for a moment. She wanted nothing to do with this man, but her curiosity got the best of her. "What happened?"

A smirk flickered across Akuma's face, almost to quick for Nakoda to see. It was speedily replaced with a look of remorse. "The King had once named a Yuukou as his advisor, a right-hand-man, so to speak. The Yuukou, what was his name? That's right, Rohan. At the time, no one knew, but Rohan had pledged his loyalty to an enemy to the crown. During the King's many trips to confer with neighboring kingdoms, Rohan led him into a trap. My brother managed to escape before he even met the crown's foe. Still, the Yuukou had proven itself to be a treacherous race. They were banished from the kingdom forever. I was named the King's advisor in Rohan's place."

Rebellion flared in Nakoda. "If they're so heartless, why did a Yuukou bring me here?" she challenged the man.

"Knowing their kind, it was probably trying to get back into the kingdom through you, to finish off the work Rohan failed to accomplish."

"Kiana would never betray anyone!" Nakoda stepped forward, her eyes blazing.

Akuma arched an eyebrow, but did not even flinch in the angry stare of the girl. "If you are so sure, where is she now? If this Kiana was truly you're friend, why did she leave you?"

"She-" Nakoda broke off. Why hadn't Kiana fought to stay? Maybe Akuma was right. Maybe a Yuukou, just like the king, had betrayed her…

She was saved from having to respond when one of the doors to the courtyard swung open. The King and Queen stepped out into the bright sunlight. Inside they looked elegant; out here they were spectacular.

"My dear brother!" Usagi said, embracing Akuma. From where she was standing, Nakoda saw something flash through Akuma's eyes. Was it resentment?

--

Nakoda lay tossing and turning in her bed. Her restless mind refused to let sleep come to her. Finally, she gave up. She sat up. At first she thought about putting on her shoes, then decided against it. She would make less noise by walking barefoot.

Nakoda carefully opened up the door to her room. The guard who had been positioned next to it was sound asleep, snoring loudly. She smirked to herself, then started down the hall. She had no idea where she was going, she just felt that she needed to go somewhere. She was certain there was a reason for her need to walk. As she went down the halls, turning at random corners, she reran the same questions over and over through her mind. Had Kiana betrayed her? And what was with Akuma? He behaved like a perfect gentleman, but there was something about him that made her shiver.

She heard voices. Nakoda slowed down and started searching for whoever was talking. She found her way to a nondescript door. She pushed it open and went in, finding it led to old wooden stairs. She closed the door behind her, but not latching it. She stepped carefully down the stairs, willing them not to creak. The voices were much louder now.

"-is disastrous! She could ruin all our plans!" a high keening voice wailed.

Nakoda peeked around a corner into the room. It was lit by several torches that were mounted in the walls. The walls were bare stone, not the beautiful marble the rest of the palace was made from. It was empty, save for a table, a large chair, and the three beings that occupied it.

In the center of the room, a strange reptilian creature was pacing, yelling, him being the obvious cause of the keening screams. She shivered as she realized its eyes were the same belonging to the guard outside the King and Queen's throne room. Watching the reptilian being with cold, bored eyes was a Yuukou. _Rohan!_ Nakoda realized with terror. And lounging in the chair was Akuma, regarding the humanoid lizard with amusement.

He waved one hand lazily. "Peace, Sen. She won't be a problem for too long," he said, silencing the reptiloid.

Rohan flexed his claws. "When does my part come into play, my Lord?"

"Soon enough, my friend. There is no one more anxious then I to reclaim my rightful place as King. Father said I was too ambitious to be king and instead passed_ my_ crown to my little brother. Well, in this world, where would you get without ambition?"

"Oh not this story again…" Sen groaned.

"Silence!" bellowed Akuma. A fireball formed in his hand and he flung it at the lizard. Sen yelped and scurried out of the way, but his tail was still singed. "This time the plan will succeed! Their Highnesses," he sneered, "will soon find out who the traitor was all those years ago." He turned to Rohan. "Can I trust you this time not to fail me?"

The Yuukou stood and bowed to Akuma. "Yes, my Liege."

"Good. You and my other subjects may kill as many as you like, especially that Keiba, but you will leave Usagi to me. I wish to spill his blood myself," Akuma growled.

Nakoda couldn't help it, she gasped. Instantly, three pairs of eyes swung around to stare at her. Akuma's face twisted into a snarl. "Get her!" he screamed.

Nakoda bolted for the stairs and scrambled up them, Sen and Rohan right behind her. Her feet hit the polished floor of the halls and she took off down them, marveling at the fact her bare feet offered much better traction then her shoes would've. Rohan was not so lucky. He slid and hit the opposite wall, stunned for a moment, but he recovered soon. Sen's feet were like a gecko's and he sprinted after her.

He was gaining on her; Nakoda knew it. She leapt up and grabbed the nearest tapestry and tore it down. She flung the piece of cloth at him, tangling him up in it. Before she even had a chance to turn and run again, Rohan sprang. Her head hit the hard floor, stunning her as the Yuukou pinned her down. "We meet again," he snarled. He gripped her shirt in his teeth and started dragging her down the hall back to his master, pausing momentarily to rip the tapestry apart with one claw, freeing Sen.

Akuma stood at the doorway. "Well done, Rohan." He knelt down to look Nakoda in the eye. "We have special things planned for you, my dear. And to think, you befriended a Yuukou only to be abandoned by one and brought down by another." Then he laughed. Nakoda's blood ran cold.

--

A tawny gold Yuukou lay beneath the stars, resting on a grassy knoll. She licked one paw. Her calm demeanor betrayed the turmoil that was inside her heart. Suddenly, her head shot up and she looked back at the palace. "Nakoda!" Kiana breathed, then got to her paws and took off back the way she had come.


	9. Chapter 9: Return

Chapter 9: Return Chapter 9: Return

Kiana's paws pounded the earth, her breath forming little clouds in the cold night air. She extended her claws to dig deep into the ground, acting like cleats to push her even faster. She felt as though she couldn't get to the palace fast enough. Terror raged through her, for Nakoda. _I never should've left her! Stupid, stupid Kiana!_

"Argh!" something solid hit her squarely in the side. She rolled, recovered her paws, and whirled, revealing her teeth.

"I thought I told you to stay away!" snarled Lutheus. He bared his own equally sharp fangs.

"Leave me alone! I have enough troubles without you messing everything up!" Kiana leapt past him, only to be tackled. She shoved the Keiba off with her hind paws.

"Stand down," Lutheus ordered. Instead, Kiana slashed at him, narrowly missing his shoulder, and running toward the palace. "I said, stand down!" he screamed at her racing to catch up.

But Kiana proved to be just faster than him. The distance grew between them slowly but steadily. She shouted over her shoulder at Lutheus, "Love to stay and chat, but Nakoda's in trouble!"

At this, the normally sure-hoofed Keiba nearly landed on his nose. "W-What? How do you know that? A-And why would you care?"

Kiana whirled around, forcing Lutheus to skid to a stop just short of slamming into her. "Contrary to popular belief, I have a heart. And right now it's telling me that my friend is in trouble. Now, either go away or help me."

Lutheus looked Kiana in the eyes, searching. She stared evenly back at him, not blinking, not wavering. He sighed. "They'll see you if you try the front gate. Follow me. But if this is a trap-"

"Shut up and move," she snarled, cutting him off.

The Keiba shrugged and led the way to the palace with Kiana close behind. He led her around the side and slowed down. He scanned the walls. Kiana fidgeted beside him. Lutheus finally found what he was looking for, a small stone that jutted out from the wall. He pressed it with his nose, and a section of the wall shuddered. Then the section moved, reveling a long dark tunnel.

Kiana blinked. "That was cool," she murmured to herself. She and Lutheus stepped into the passage. It was too dark to see, but after a moment Kiana could feel the floor sloping upward. It turned as it ascended up. Then she sensed that Lutheus had stopped.

"Be careful and be quiet," he whispered to her. Then light poured into the passage. Lutheus had pushed up a trap door and climbed out. Kiana followed, carefully letting the door fall back into place. Looking down at it, she saw it was a marble tile from the floor. She looked up and around. They were standing in a long hallway. The only things in it other than them were the torches on the walls.

Kiana listened carefully, slowly turning her head from side to side. Then her ears swiveled to face behind her, and she turned her head to look where they were pointing. "Nakoda," she breathed, and then sprang forward, launching herself into a sprint. Or, rather, what would've been a sprint if the floor hadn't been as smooth as glass. Her paws skidded and she slid into the wall.

Lutheus came to stand beside her, his hooves making a soft clip-clop sound on the hard floor. "You know nothing about being inside, do you?" he said, hiding his smile behind his well-trained look of indifference.

Kiana, glaring up at him, growled quietly, "Well then, palace-punk, how am I supposed to do it?"

"Slowly and carefully. And retract your claws. You scratch the floor."

"That's not all they're going to scratch," she snarled under her breath, but she did as she was told.

Lutheus pretended not to hear her comment, choosing instead to say, "Lead the way."

--

Nakoda sat on the cold damp floor of her cell. She was crying. She was terrified of what was going to happen. Akuma planned to tell his brother that she was trying to overthrow his rule with the help of the Yuukou, because, after all, she had befriended one. He would claim Nakoda was controlling the Yuukou, making them do her will. Usagi would obviously believe his brother and not the strange girl who claimed she was not born on Mahou. Just to back this idea up, Rohan had been instructed to crash in through a window and bow to Nakoda, proving his loyalty to her. Then he would attack the King, but before anything could happen, Akuma would kill her, and Rohan's attack would be stopped, since he was now free from her control. Then, when the Royal Pair felt safe, Akuma would kill them both at once. He would then tell the subjects of the kingdom that the strange girl was the murderer and would claim the Crown for himself.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up. She walked around the cell again, looking out into the main room. Sen was still leaning against the wall opposite her, still snoring. She walked around to the other side of her cell. The only window there was in it was too high up for her to reach. She couldn't escape through there. On one well near to the bars of the cell, some shackles hung from the wall. The thought to use them to climb out through the window crossed her mind, only to be dismissed. They were firmly bolted to the wall. Sighing in frustration and defeat, she huddled against the wall again and closed her eyes. She couldn't keep the images of her family and friends, all wondering where she was, out of her mind.

She suddenly fell silent. Someone was coming. She kept her eyes tightly shut, not wanting to see Akuma when he took her to her death.

Two voices spoke at once. A deep one said, "I don't believe it," while a higher one cried out "Nakoda!"

Nakoda's eyes snapped open. She looked up. Standing outside of the window was Kiana and Lutheus. "Kiana!" she cried running to the window.

Kiana knelt down and reached her paw through the bars. Nakoda reached up and grabbed it. She held onto her friend's paw for a few moments before Lutheus interrupted. "Kiana, help me get the grate up."

Kiana and Lutheus both grabbed one side of the grate and pulled up together. The metal bolts that held it in place groaned, then suddenly snapped. Both of them stumbled back from the force. Kiana dropped the grate and jumped into the cell. Nakoda wrapped her arms around Kiana's neck and Kiana gently pulled her in with one paw.

A strangled sort of shout cut off their embrace. Sen was staring gat them trying to decide if he should shout for help or if he should solve the problem for himself.

"Climb on my back," Kiana ordered. Nakoda did so, enabling her to reach the window. She gripped the ledge and pulled herself out with some help from Lutheus. She turned in time to see Sen spring for the cell. Sadly, he seemed to have forgotten the fact that cells have bars and slammed into them. He fell to the floor dazed. Before he could get up again, Kiana grabbed one of the shackles and pushed it through the bars. With some trouble, she managed to get it locked tightly around Sen's wrist. She then attempted to jump back through the window. One paw grabbed the edge, but the other one missed. She felt herself falling, but Lutheus grabbed her around the neck, careful to get a good hold of her without biting down too hard. For what it was worth, Nakoda grabbed onto Kiana's paw and pulled with Lutheus.

Kiana managed to get a hold of the ledge just as Sen shouted for help. Kiana climbed out and Nakoda scrambled onto her back just as several guards entered the cell room. Kiana attempted to run down the hall, only to have her paws slip again on the floor. With the second step she took, she found traction and took off with Lutheus right next to her. He shouted out directions to them as they raced through the maze of hallways. As they turned the final corner, they saw a door ahead of them. Lutheus speed up and twisted his head to the side, exposing one shoulder. With said shoulder, he rammed the door. The force of his weight and momentum forced the door open, and together the Keiba, the Yuukou, and her rider raced out into the night.

Nakoda felt Kiana relax. "It's good to be back outside where I belong," she said, enjoying the feeling of the grass beneath her paws.

Lutheus slowed down and so did Kiana, very reluctantly. He turned to Nakoda, who was still astride Kiana. "Are you alright?" he asked, and for the first time genuine concern appeared across his face. Nakoda quickly told both of them about Akuma's plan.

When she had finished, both of the animals' hackles were raised. "He always rubbed me the wrong way, and now I know why," Lutheus growled.

"So what are we going to do?" Kiana asked.

"We go to speak with Usagi," Lutheus said. "Follow me."


	10. Chapter 10: Family Troubles and Farewell

Hi all

Hi all. It's been a while, but I'm finally updating this again. The reason why I stopped on this one for a while was because somebody sent me a nasty PM on it. I'm not naming anyone, but to you: if you don't like my stuff, then don't read it.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avalon, only Mahou.**

Chapter 10: Family Troubles and Farewell

"Hurry up," Lutheus said, glancing back at Kiana and Nakoda. "We have to get to the King before Akuma does. And for goodness sake, Kiana, how many times do I have to tell you. Retract your claws.

"Yes, mother," she snarled quietly at him.

Lutheus pushed through a set of doors and started down a hall. At the end of it was a normal door. He stopped in front of it and hit it lightly with one hoof. Moments later, it was opened by Cira.

"Lutheus, what are you doing here so late at night?" she asked pleasantly, but the Keiba pushed past her and signaled with his tail for the other two to follow. The hurried into what looked like a large foyer. Lutheus pushed the door shut, nearly catching Kiana's tail in it.

"We must not talk here. Where is Usagi? The girl has something very important to tell both of you," Lutheus asked, dropping all formalities and speaking quickly.

Cira did not answer him but was staring at Kiana. "Lutheus?"

Kiana rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm a Yuukou. Ignore that."

The Queen stood still for a moment more before turning and entering another room. Moments later the door opened and Usagi stepped out with Cira at his side. "Lutheus, what is the meaning of this?" he asked, eyeing Nakoda and Kiana.

Lutheus bowed briefly. "Sir, you must listen to me and believe my words. Akuma is a traitor. He wants you dead so he can become King. He was the one who set Rohan on you years ago. But not all Yuukou are like that. This one-"

Usagi held up his hand. "Lutheus, you have listened to a false story. This girl is the traitor."

"What?" Nakoda breathed.

"My brother has told me everything," Usagi said as Akuma strode out of the room. "He came to me to warn me as soon as he learned of this girl's true identity."

At that moment, the window next to them burst as Rohan broke through it. He turned and bowed before Nakoda. "I have come to your summoning," he said. Then he stood and faced the King.

"See, Usagi. I told you, she is a friend to all Yuukou, the enemies of the Crown," Akuma said.

Rohan snarled and sprang at the King and Queen. Usagi pushed Cira out of the way of the attack and braced himself. But nothing ever touched him.

Kiana had leapt forward, unsheathed her claws, and slammed into Rohan's side. He landed hard with her standing over him. She placed both her front paws on him and held him pinned to the floor, growling like a rabid bear. Rohan tried to snap at her paws, but she slashed at his face, leaving three deep scratches along his muzzle.

"I am not controlling them!" Nakoda cried. "Yes, Kiana is my friend, but Rohan is following orders given by Akuma, not me. I am not the Crown's enemy, Akuma is!"

Usagi looked back and forth between the snarling Yuukou and the girl. Finally, he turned to his brother. "Akuma, is this true?"

Akuma hissed with anger. "I'll make you wish you never said that, girly." He grabbed Nakoda by the wrist and raised a dagger up, but before he could bring it down, Lutheus bit down into his arm and brought his head down. Akuma flipped and hit the floor.

Usagi stood over him. "That is all the proof I need," he said, furious. "Akuma, you are a danger to the Crown and to the kingdom. For this, I sentence you to-to-" He faltered.

"To what, brother?" Akuma challenged. "Death?"

"Exile," Usagi said finally, pain in his voice. "Lutheus, summon your best knights and escort this…traitor to the border, along with that Yuukou," he added, pointing at Rohan.

"Yes, sire," Lutheus said quietly.

He roared, and moments later, several humanoid knights entered the room. Two of them grabbed Akuma and forcefully dragged him from the room. Lutheus and the final knight came to where Kiana still had Rohan pinned. "Let him up, Kiana," Lutheus said, more of a request then an order.

With a small snarl, she did so and watched as Rohan was led away from the room.

The King sighed heavily. The Queen was at his side in a heartbeat. "I never realized it," he whispered.

Kiana took a step back and looked at Nakoda. "Let's get out of here," she said quietly, her tail twitching out of nervousness.

"Hold it," Usagi said. Both girl and Yuukou jumped at his words. "Relax! Neither of you are in trouble," he laughed. "First of all. Nakoda. I should not have blamed you. I am sorry."

Nakoda simply nodded in reply.

"And you, Kiana, was it? I have also wronged you. I judged you far too quickly. Please accept my apology, Kiana."

Kiana bowed her head. "Apology accepted, sir."

"Good. Now then, it is late, and you two look exhausted. We will continue our conversation in the morning."

--

Kiana and Nakoda walked side by side down the hallway. They had been summoned to the King and Queen's quarters soon after breakfast. Standing outside the door waiting for them was Lutheus.

"They've been anxious to see both of you," he said as they came up. Together they entered the room. Cira and Usagi both looked up from their conversation as the trio entered. Only after the door had closed behind them did anyone speak.

"Welcome," Cira greeted them. "Nakoda, we have good news for you. We've found a way to get you back to your world. You'll be able to leave for it anytime you want."

"And Kiana. You're bravery and loyalty to return to help your friend have impressed me. I now ask you to become my advisor. Will you accept?" the King said, smiling.

Kiana blinked. "Uh…I, uh…Do you really believe that I am the best choice for this?"

The rulers both nodded. "Actually, it was Lutheus' idea. He told us of how you refused to leave even after he threatened you and that you had such incredible intuition about what was going on. That and you're desire to do whatever is right no matter what danger you get put in proves to me that you will be one of the best advisors this kingdom has ever seen. So, what is your answer?"

Nakoda put her hand on the Yuukou's shoulder. Kiana thought for a moment before looking the King in the eye. "I would be honored."

--

Kiana and Nakoda stood outside in the courtyard under what resembled a magnolia tree. Kiana's matted mane had been carefully combed through, the dust washed away from her coat. Around her neck was a silver collar with a ruby set into it, marking her as the King's advisor. Both were looking up at the flowers on the tree.

"So, you leave today," Kiana said, more of a statement than a question.

"Hm-hm."

"I'm going to miss you."

"So will I." Nakoda placed her hand on the Yuukou's mane, running her fingers trough it. A few loose strands pulled out. She looked at them, then carefully put them into her pocket. She resumed her original actions. Subconsciously, she brought up her other hand and touched each of the beads in her hair. An idea came to her. "Kiana, I have something for you."

Kiana turned her head and looked down at the girl. Nakoda took a section of her mane and put something on it. When it was secured in place she pulled it around so Kiana could see what she did. Woven into her mane was a thin red bead with silver lines, the same one Kiana had admired before their journey had started. "Nakoda, I…thank you, but I don't have anything I can give you."

The girl shrugged. "It doesn't matter. It's a gift. Besides, you helped me find a way home. This is the least I can do for you."

Cira approached the pair. "Nakoda, it's ready," she said gently.

"So, this is it," Kiana said. "Nakoda, I was blessed to have met you. I will miss you."

"Me too. Kiana, do you think we will ever see each other again?" Nakoda asked.

Kiana smiled sadly. "Even if it is the last thing I do in this life. Good-bye, my friend."

Nakoda wrapped her arms around the great creatures neck. "Good-bye, Kiana."

They stood there for a moment before Nakoda pulled away. She nodded one last time to Kiana before following Cira. At the far end of the courtyard, Usagi was standing beside a large swirling portal. "It's time for you to go back to your home," he said.

Nakoda nodded silently. Cira placed a hand on her shoulder. "I am glad to have met you. Good luck in whatever you choose to do with your life."

"Thank you, both of you." With a final glance around at the courtyard, at Kiana, she stepped through the portal.

--

"Nakoda! Are you okay?" Nakoda opened her eyes to find herself lying flat on her back. Above her, Jack was staring down at her.

Nakoda groaned. "What happened?" she asked as she sat up.

"You called me over to look at something and all of a sudden you passed out. I've been yelling for ten minutes. Are you okay?"

_I've been passed out for ten minutes? But I was on Mahou for at least a week. Was it a dream? _She fumbled for the beads in her hair. One was missing; the red and silver one. She reached into her pocket and pulled out several strands of brown hair. A small smile spread across her face.

"Nakoda, what is it?"

"Oh, nothing. Let's get home."


	11. Chapter 11: Journey's End

Sigh…It's the final chapter…A bittersweet moment…Let us have a minute of silence… Sigh…It's the final chapter…A bittersweet moment…Let us have a minute of silence…

**Okay! Enough of that! I thank those who have stayed with me for all of this, and hopefully this is a satisfactory ending.**

**Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue. Me send thanks onto you.**

Chapter 11: Journey's End

Kara, Emily, and Adriane sat in a semicircle at Gran's feet, completely enraptured with the story.

"That is all," Gran said, her eyes still far away.

"Wait! There's got to be more! Did Kiana ever come to see you?" Kara asked.

"Please, Gran! That can't be _it_!" Adriane cried.

Gran looked down at the three girls in turn. "You are right. That isn't all. I did see Kiana again. In fact, I saw her twice. The first time was shortly after I opened Ravenswood. She came with her and Lutheus' son, Sobou.

"The second time I saw her was less than two weeks ago. She had aged greatly; her muzzle tinted with gray and she walked with a limp. But one thing about Kiana hadn't changed: her eyes. They were the same brilliant blue-green they were when I first met her. She had returned to tell me what was going on in Mahou, how she had the feeling that Akuma had returned. She came back before Usagi and Cira were murdered, so she had no idea things were that bad.

"Kiana told me that I would not be the one to go but you three. She also told me that it was her last day in life. She spent the night in the gardens in the back, near my bedroom window. When I woke up, she was gone. On the window sill was the emblem that had first taken me to Mahou and this." Gran opened up her hand and held it out for the girls to see. Resting on it was a faded old bead, that when it was new, it would've been red with silver lines. "I took the emblem and put it in the library. I figured you would find it since you spend so much time there. The next part of the story you already know."

They sat in silence for a moment. Then Emily spoke. "Kiana was a good friend."

Gran smiled sadly. "Yes, she was. I miss her very much. My, look at the time. It seems I've taken up you're whole afternoon. Kara and Emily, you should get home before your families worry."

"Okay. We'll see you tomorrow," Emily said as she stood.

"I know you will. You're always here without fail each day. Now shoo!"

Adriane watched them leave before running out after them. "I'll be right back!" she called over her shoulder to her grandmother.

Gran watched her leave the room. "Oh, Kiana," she sighed. "If only you had a chance to know them."

"Guys hang on a sec!" Adriane said as she caught up with Emily and Kara. "We've got to do something for Gran."

Emily nodded. "Kiana was very special to her. It must've been hard to lose someone like that."

Kara thought for a moment without saying anything, which mildly shocked the other two. Then lightning struck. "How much money do you guys have?" she asked out of the blue.

--

"Gran! Gran!" Adriane ran through the house like wildfire the next morning.

"Child, I'm right here!" Gran laughed. Adriane skidded to a stop and walked back into the living room. "What's all the fuss about? And what were you doing out of bed at one in the morning?"

"Gran, if you'll just come outside for a minute, you'll see. Come on. Oh, and you have to wear a blindfold." Adriane held up a brightly colored bandana. Kara and Emily are waiting outside for us to come."

Gran stood up. "I'm wiling to come outside, but why the blindfold?"

"Because it's a surprise," Adriane snorted. "So, will you?"

Gran sighed in mock irritation. "Fine. But I believe I'm getting too old for these games."

Adriane laughed. "You? Too old for games? Never!" She tied the bandana carefully over Gran's eyes.

Gran smiled. "You know me far too well, Adriane."

"Just a little bit further Gran," Adriane said, carefully leading the elderly woman outside. Gran could hear Emily and Kara giggling from excitement. "Okay, Gran. Are you ready?"

"Yes, now get this thing off me. I want to see what it is you're so excited about!"

The blindfold slid away from her eyes and Gran blinked a few times in the sunlight. They were standing outside of the house, more precisely outside her bedroom window. Kara and Emily were standing there, smiling. In between them was a small magnolia sapling.

"Oh, girls," Gran breathed. She kneeled down next to the little plant. With one hand, she gently pulled a blossom near her and smelled the pink and white flower. "It's beautiful," she said.

"Kara and Emily bought it yesterday after they left, then brought it here and we planted it a little after midnight last night," Adriane said. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. It looks just like the one I said good-bye to Kiana under. Thank you," Gran took from a pocket the bead and several long strands of brown horsehair. She threaded the bead onto them, and hung it from one of the sapling's limbs. "Now this is truly Kiana's. Thank you." She stayed kneeling down next to the tree and closed her eyes.

Adriane motioned Emily and Kara to give Gran some time alone. They walked quietly away from the woman and the sapling. Just before they turned around the side of the house, Emily looked back. A gasp caught in her throat. She grabbed Kara and Adriane's arms and pointed behind them. What they saw amazed them.

Striding towards Gran was a translucent figure. It was a little bit bigger then a horse with long legs and a relatively lion-like body. It's shaggy mane partially covered up one blue-green eye. Around is neck was a silver collar with a ruby set into it. It stopped right behind Gran and watched her for a moment. _"I am here, and I will always be here, Nakoda."_ The voice seemed to echo in their minds. A peaceful smile spread across Gran's face. "I know, Kiana, I know."


End file.
